Compare towns
Oakland vs Ogunquit vs Unity vs Smithfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakland has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Oakland | Ogunquit | Unity | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,309Highest |
1,379 |
1,858 |
856Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
55.8±3.5 25% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.4% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$107,917±$27k 44% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$74 18% below ME |
— | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
| Smithfield and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,866 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #23 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 18 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | Messalonskee High School | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.